Last-Minute Shipping Deadlines Know your options and order dates to get your packages in time

Hey, all you last-minute shoppers! You need to be smart last-minute shippers as well! Last year an estimated
2 million packages were late for Christmas due to bad weather and a surge in 11th-hour online shopping. This year, delivery companies are trying to take precautions by increasing their holiday workforce and collaborating more with stores. But that’s not to say an unexpected snowstorm or killer bout of shopping procrastination won’t strike again.

So, shopper, let’s get shipping savvy. Here are the delivery options retailers are offering to ensure that all of your gifts get under the Christmas tree in time. And hey, some of these will even save you money!

SHIP-TO-STORE

The way ship-to-store shopping works is simple: Purchase a product from a store’s site, wait for the retailer to let you know when your item is ready, and go pick it up whenever you please. The key here is whether or not your item is in stock. If it is, you can generally pick it up a lot sooner—sometimes within hours—than if the store has to order it from the warehouse—that could take days. Here are a few retailers offering the ship-to-store option:

Bonus: Sears and Kmart allow shoppers to place gift orders online and designate a recipient to pick up the present at a store nearby!

MEMBERS GET QUICKER DELIVERY

A few stores offer their members expedited shipping deals. Of course, you’ll spend more upfront, but you’ll get months of perks. That said, you still need to be mindful of how the holidays will affect these perks, so double check when you order. Here are some examples:

Barnes & Noble: For $25, members get free express shipping, not to mention 40% off in-store savings on hardcovers and $50 in bonus coupons.

Google: One option for shopping locally is a Google Express membership, which costs $95 per year or $10 per month. Members who live in select cities get free same-day delivery or overnight shipping on eligible orders over $15. (Non-members can pay $4.99 per order or $7.99 on orders under $15.)

Newegg: Become a Newegg Premier member for $49.99 and get free shipping in three days or less, plus exclusive discounts, free returns and no restocking fees.

ShopRunner: Sign up to ShopRunner for $79 and get one year of two-day shipping free and free returns from thousands of brands. If you have an American Express card, you can become a member for free!

Zappos: Regular customers get free two-day shipping, but become a VIP member and you can get guaranteed next-day delivery.

SAME-DAY DELIVERY

A fairly new service is same-day delivery. While Amazon and Google Express offer this in select cities with their annual memberships, Walmart, Home Depot, eBay, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s also offer same-day delivery to select locations (primarily in major cities like Houston, Seattle, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles).

Fees for this service vary from retailer to retailer, but here’s a general idea:

AmazonCost: Non-prime members pay $9.98 for the first item and 99 cents for each additional item. Prime members pay a flat rate of $5.99.Order by: Noon in all cities except Chicago (7:45 a.m.) for delivery by 9 p.m.Click for a list of eligible Amazon same-day delivery cities.

WalmartCost: $5–$10Order by: Noon for delivery by 10 p.m.

eBay NowCost: $5 per store (orders must be a minimum of $15)Order by: 9 p.m. (Monday–Saturday) or 6 p.m. (Sunday) for delivery within an hourSee if eBay Now delivers in your city.

Nordstrom Instant DeliveryCost: $15Order by 1 p.m. for delivery by 7 p.m.Nordstrom’s same-day delivery is currently only offered on the West Coast. See if your city is eligible.

Barnes & NobleCost: $5 for nonmembers and free for Barnes & Noble members (membership is $25 per year). There’s a $25 minimum, and same-day delivery is only good on select items and in New York City only.Order by: 11 a.m. for delivery by 7 p.m.

Macy’s Cost: $5 for orders qualifying for free shipping and $14.95 for all other ordersOrder by: 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sundays

Bloomingdale’sCost: $5 for orders qualifying for free shipping; a $5 fee will be added to the standard shipping fee for all other ordersOrder by: 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sundays

Blue Nile: For a limited time, all FedEx ground orders will be upgraded to FedEx two-day shipping.

Neiman Marcus: Use the code NMRUSH through December 19 and your delivery will be upgraded to rush delivery in time for Christmas. Check here for more information. InCircle members get free two-day shipping with code INCIRCLE. (Check here for more information.)

Nordstrom: Order standard shipping between December 18 and 3 p.m. on December 22 and your order will be upgraded to two-day shipping for free; order standard shipping after 3 p.m. on December 22 and noon on December 23 and your order will be expedited to next-business-day delivery free of charge.

Origins: Get free two-day shipping on all orders over $100 with code 2DAY.

Shoes.com: Get free two-day shipping on UGG and Frye.

Target.com: Get free shipping just for the holidays (three to five business days).

ORDER-BY DATES

Our guide to shipping deadlines will help you get your packages on time. Many stores are offering free shipping deals throughout the holidays, but just because it’s free doesn’t mean it will be on time. Be smart about when you order. Naturally, the sooner, the better. (All times below are EST unless otherwise noted; be sure to verify these dates with the merchant. We’ll be updating this list regularly, so bookmark this page and come back daily.)

RetailMeNot is a registered trademark of RetailMeNot, Inc. Merchant trademarks are the property of the respective merchant and their presence does not necessarily mean that RetailMeNot, Inc has an affiliation with the merchant.